Sead Kolasinac could well be bought out from his contract this summer according to Kevin Campbell.
The defender was allowed to join Schalke 04 on loan in January, where he has enjoyed a regular spell of first-team football, but is set to return to North London at the end of the season.
With the Bundesliga side confirmed as relegated to the German second-tier for next term, they will be expected to reduce their wage bill, and the permanent signing of Kola would appear unlikely.
Arsenal may well have to cut their losses and agree to pay off the Serbian defender to get him off their books ahead of the new season, a belief shared by former Gunner Kevin Campbell.
“I think Arsenal may have to pay him off this summer,” he told the Football Insider.
“They got him out on loan this season and while that is one thing, he still has a year left. They might have to pay him off.
“If that is what they have to do, that is what they have to do. We cannot have a player there who is not going to play any part.
“You may as well bite the bullet and move on. Kolasinac was one of the clique. He doesn’t have a future at Arsenal.”
Arsenal recently paid off both Shkodran Mustafi and Mesut Ozil in the previous window, and the left-back could well be next.
The manager made the decision to allow Sead to leave on a temporary move despite not having a proper left-back option in the squad as cover for first-choice Kieran Tierney, resulting in both Bukayo Saka and Granit Xhaka filling in the role, which simply highlights just how far down Arteta’s thinking Kola must have fallen.
Will Arsenal be forced into paying Kolasinac off this summer?
Patrick